Safety-casing clamp



w. M. ANGUS. SAFETY CASING CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. '7, I920- W M@ 7 uuu Lwk wig: IIIHI M l m r I Ill UNITED STATES WILLIAM M. ANGUS, OF DENNISON, TEXAS.

SAFETY-CASING CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t ted Man 15, 1921,

Application filed October 7, 1920. Serial No. 415,341.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. ANGUS, a citizen of the United States residing at Dennison, in the county of dirayson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Casing C amps, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to equipment for drilling and operating oil and gas wells and other deep wells, where two or more casings of different sizes are used either during the operation of drilling, or afterward, or both. In drilling such deep wells, it is the practice to insert in the hole a large casing to a depth depending on local conditions, and then a casing of smaller diameter inside the larger casing to a greater depth, and so on until the drill rests on the sand and is drilled into the sand. The casing of smallest diameter usually has an uncertain foundation or support, and is liable to slip or drop or settle, and clog the well, or render the repair thereof very expensive and often impossible. The outer casings usually have a solid foundation or support by reason of resting in or upon the intermediate solid rock or shale. If a flowing well is obtained, the outer casings are withdrawn, or pulled, leaving only the smallest and the next to the smallest for lateral support for the walls. Although the method of operations differs greatly in dif-' ferent circumstances, depending on local conditions, supplies, local practices, etc., there is always present the danger of losing the casing last inserted in the well.

It is the object of my invention to provide a strong, simple, durable, and efficient clamp which is applied to the upper end of an inner casing and which supports that inner casing upon the upper end of the next outer casing even while the still larger casings are being pulled; and it is the further object to provide the parts, improvements and combinations in a safety casing clamp hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification and in the clescription of the drawings, I have shown my invention in its preferred form and what I deem to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof; and it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, I contemplate changes in form, proportions and materials, the transposition showing the clamp closed, and the dotted outlines showing the clamp opened on its h nge. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the two pins, they being alike. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the clamp. Fig. 4 is avertical central sectional elevation approximately on a plane indicated by the line, Hill Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical central sectional eleva-J tion of the clamp approximately on a plane indicated by the line 55 in Fig. 1, with those portions of the two' casings to which the clamp is applied, this View also showing a portion of the next outer casing.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the several drawmgs. I

The clamp is composed of two semi-cylindrical members 6 and 7, hinged together so as to form a collar. The member 6 is formed with a tongue 8 between the two ofisets 9 and with the two lugs 10, 10; while the member 7 is formed with the lugs 11, 11 and the tongue 12. These tongues and lugs engage with each other and have holes 13 through them, through which are passed the pins 14, 14:, the one forminga hinge and the other forming a lock. The upper end of each pin is bent at a right angle, as shown at 15 and rests in the notch 16 formed in the lug. The lower outer corner of the clamp is rabbeted, as shownat 17, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The extreme ends of the tongue and lugs forming the hinge are rounded, as indicated at 18,to permit proper action of the clamp members on the hinge.

The object in making the clamp in two parts, is to adapt it to be slipped onto the casing laterally; and it is made to fit around the casing to which it is applied'closely. It is applied thereto by removing the pin 1 1 opposite the hinge, opening the members on their hinge, slipping the members from the side over the casing, closing the members, and inserting the pin and it is removed by the reverse operation. The recess 16 permits the bent-over head of the pin to be confined within the limits of the body of the collar without projecting therefrom, and the head formed as shown afi'ords a means for prying the pin out after. the same has been permitted to get rusty or has otherwise become tight in its seat.

Referring to Fig. 5,1Whi0h shows the use of the clamp; 201s the innermost casing, to which the clamp is applied with the coupling 21 resting on the upper edge of the clamp and forming the support upon the clamp for the casing represented by the upper end 20. 22 shows the upper end of the next outer casing. The lower end or" the clamp rests on the upper end of this casing and has its support thereon, with the rabbet l7 engaging the upper endo'l' the coupling 23. 24 represents a next outer casing being pulled out of the W211 Without interfering with the support of the innermost casing upon its next adjacent outer easing. I

It is contemplated that the clamp maybe used for supporting any inner easing upon any outer casing, regardless of size, al-

though it Will be found particularly useful inthe support of the innermost casing upon the next outer casing, both during the sinking of the former and While pulling the largercasings as the said next casing; and as Well, it will be useful as a permanent safety element in supporting the innermost casing if'a permanent Well is obtained.

The clamp is to he made of metal, preferably cast steel.

Having thus described my invention What I claim is:

1. A safety casin clamp comprising a collar consisting of two semi-cylindrical halves hinged together at one contacting end and means for interloekingsaid halves at the other end, said collar being formed around its lower outer edge with a rabloet.

2. it safety casinglelamp consisting of the combination oi two semicylindrica1 members hinged together at one side and formed with interlockii'ig lugs at the other side, and a pin extending removably through-said lugs, said pin having a bent-over upper end and the upper lug having a recess for the re eption of said bent-over end, and the lower outer edge of said members being rahloeted. V I p i WILLIAM M. ANGUS. 

